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Birch Tar

All articles tagged with #birch tar

archaeology1 year ago•2 min saved

Ancient Neanderthal Glue-Making Oven Discovered in Seaside Cave

Archaeologists have discovered a 60,000-year-old structure in Vanguard Cave, Gibraltar, believed to be a Neanderthal oven used for making birch tar, a prehistoric glue. This finding challenges the stereotype of Neanderthals as unintelligent, suggesting they had advanced knowledge of combustion and chemistry. The structure's complexity and the successful recreation of birch tar in experiments indicate Neanderthals' sophisticated tool-making abilities and intelligence. The study is published in Quaternary Science Reviews.

via IFLScience|

#archaeology #birch-tar #gibraltar

archaeology2 years ago•3 min saved

Unveiling Neanderthal Intelligence through Birch Tar and Adhesive Technology

Recent studies confirm that Neanderthals possessed the intelligence and cooperation skills necessary to make glue out of birch bark tar, challenging the notion that they lacked higher thinking abilities. The ability to create adhesive materials was crucial for early humans to survive and adapt to their environment. Neanderthals developed the capacity to produce sticky tar, even in areas with limited populations. The process of tar-making required complex information processing and likely involved teamwork. This discovery contradicts the belief that modern humans displaced Neanderthals due to superior technological innovation.

via IFLScience|

#archaeology #birch-tar #cooperation

science2 years ago•3 min saved

The intricate process behind Neanderthal adhesives.

Neanderthals developed a method of generating a glue derived from birch tar to hold their tools together about 200,000 years ago, which was waterproof and didn't decompose. Researchers found evidence that this glue wasn't just the original tar; it had been transformed in some way. The team tried several different processing methods and found that Neanderthals distilled tar in an intentionally created underground environment that restricted oxygen flow and remained invisible during the process. This degree of complexity is unlikely to have been invented spontaneously.

via Ars Technica|

#adhesive #ancient-tools #birch-tar

science2 years ago•2 min saved

Neanderthals Invented Synthetic Super Glue 200,000 Years Ago

Neanderthals may have been the first to intentionally produce birch tar using a complex underground technique, according to a recent study. Researchers analyzed artifacts made using birch tar and found that the low-oxygen profile of the tar suggested it was made using an underground oven. This technique would have required a specific recipe to be followed precisely and could not be monitored once buried. The findings suggest that Neanderthals invented and refined this transformative technique independently of Homo sapiens, beating any evidence of our species making tar by 100,000 years.

via ScienceAlert|

#advanced-technology #birch-tar #cultural-capacity

science2 years ago•2 min saved

Neanderthals' Chemical Experimentation Unveiled Through Ancient Glue

Neanderthals likely invented a complex method for transforming birch bark into glue, according to an analysis of ancient adhesive samples. The birch tar is the oldest synthetic substance ever discovered, with the earliest samples being attributed to Neanderthals. Researchers found that the glue was most likely synthesized in underground chambers that restricted oxygen flow, shedding light on the cognitive capacities of this prehistoric human species. The study provides valuable insight into the cognitive and cultural capabilities of Neanderthals.

via IFLScience|

#archaeology #birch-tar #chemistry